Silenced Christmas
by Momma Mustang
Summary: [RoyEd Royai] Roy surrenders his Christmas with his new family for a visit to an old love, trying to bring back that familiar spark. [Veggie!Ed]


Nah, this just popped into my head and thought, eh, what the hell. Rose posted a Christmas fic, and I'm in a Christmas mood (trying to finish Rose in the Snow), plus I had a strange dream about Veggie!Ed so…this came to light.

NOTE: I know Roy has both eyes in BBI. I just can't imagine him Fuhrer without the eye patch. Anyway, he looks better with it. ¬¬

This is a one-shot. Unless I decide to elaborate on the plot that popped into my head. Probably not.

_Pairings: _RoyEd, Royai

NOTE 2: ¬¬ Roy and Riza have a kid. Dun like it? Too damn bad. xD

* * *

Christmas. A beautiful time of the year. One usually filled with happiness, family get togethers, and gift giving. Merry times. Lots of caroling. Voices rang throughout the cold wintry morning, the singing lifting up clouds of snowy flurries. The ground was covered in an uncharacteristic white, the distant house catching this particular man's eye, beautiful like the greeting cards one would see in a store. A perfect view for anyone coming to town.

The sky was a grayish blue, clouds rolling by in the winds that picked up, the chilling air about cooling anything to the bone, bringing back memories for him, and many others who happened to be out. Children laughing, playing in the fields, adults singing, pianos playing…a beautiful scene of the country town of Risembool met his gaze.

"_Hey Roy! If you stick your tongue to a pole, it'll stick!"_

He chuckled softly at the young voice that rippled through his memories. Maes Hughes. Ten years old. He had been nine. He had fallen for that trick five times, and not once did he learn. Of course, the last three times had been dares, but still. Roy Mustang preferred not to think of things like his past mistakes, coming to get him again the more he tried to outrun them.

His obsidian eye narrowed, the other blocked out by a rather large patch. His reminder as to what was lost three years ago. However, it also reminded him of what he gained. Losing so much also brought him what he desired most, getting to a position where he would not have to take unreasonable orders. To a position where he would dominate over the decisions made, and no one would be able to question it. Fuhrer Roy Mustang…

Why was he here? A simple reason. Though his home and family resided in Central, and his friends were gathering for a celebration in his home, Roy had special business to attend to, here in Risembool. A gentle smile lifted his lips as he spotted the sandy blonde hair in the distance, a young man in a white shirt and black pants bending over and setting something down, jumping a bit in the cold. It couldn't be helped much, really. He didn't appear to be wearing shoes, and it had to be a bit cold for him to be standing there like that.

He chuckled again, watching him from a safe distance, raising a hand, squinting ahead of him to watch as the sun peeped out. His hat didn't entirely block out the rays and allow him to see.

After another moment of observation, Roy sighed, deciding that his freezing and numb limbs couldn't wait for warmth from his own fire, or the one up further any longer. Shrugging his trench up, not that it needed it, his gloved hands, wearing plain ones, rather than his alchemy, ignition cloth ones, he tightened his grasp on the bag he carried with him, following the steps that led to the house.

He didn't think that he was very welcome in Risembool. In fact, he knew it. But…he had to see him. He had to know…_Edward…_

The sandy blonde haired youth had already stepped back inside the house by the time Roy approached, the dog inside barking harshly as he listened to the footsteps crunching in the fluffy white substance that had fallen late last night, early that morning. The last time he had been here, it hadn't necessarily been on friendly terms. However, whether they liked it or not, Roy was here to see someone special, and celebrate the holidays.

Hesitantly, he raised his left hand, hovering over the door. He even thought about turning around. It wouldn't be all that bad, right? He could come back when it wasn't such a serious occasion. However, just as he turned, lowering his fist, a voice called out behind him. "Hey, Mister! Where you going?"

Roy paused, looking back over his shoulder to spot a dark skinned boy. He gave a weak grin, lifting the bag in his hand to indicate he was referring to it. "Is Aruphonse home? I've…brought some things from Central to give out." Mustang wasn't much of a kid person anyway.

"Tai – I mean, Fuhrer, sir!" Aru raised his hand in a salute, a habit he picked up from Ed, no doubt. Though Roy was still dressed in his uniform, he refused to allow Aru to show him such respect, especially since he did not earn it.

"No, no. It's just Roy now, Aru. We're in the holidays. I don't want anymore respect than I deserve. May I…come in?"

Aru blinked before his grin turned sheepish, nodding. "You can let him in, Makial." The boy looked back up at Roy before nodding slowly and stepping aside, allowing him entrance.

The raven haired man removed the hat upon his head, setting the bag down once he entered. A blonde woman crossed over to him, offering a weak smile while she took his coat and hat, nodding for him to join everyone else.

Roy's eye traveled over the people gathered into the main room. Pinako Rockbell. And Winry had just taken his coat. There was Roze, and probably her son. And Aruphonse. But…Ed…

"Roy…you came to see him, didn't you?" Aru grinned, still not used to calling him anything other than by his title, setting some paper he had in his hands into a large bag he was using to toss the leftover paper away. They must have just finished unwrapping their gifts. Den, the dog, came over, sniffing at Roy's boots, up his leg, and to his hands, nuzzling it for attention.

Roy stared around at the group whose attention seemed to be focused mainly on him. "Yes, I came to see him, but, I also brought things from my wife and those in Central with me. For you. It's not a whole lot, but I did try to bring something for all of you. And…"

Aru watched him pluck his gloves off, his handsome, slicked back hair making the man look a bit older than he was. The faint coloring that the cold, biting winds brought to his cheeks helped reduce the appearance of age, but he seemed weary. "Come on. He's this way."

Roy nodded, dipping into the bag and pulled out two boxes, one thin and long, though wide as well, and a smaller one, square. He handed the bag to Winry, offering a weak smile. The holidays never were the easiest. They reminded him more of what he had lost, rather than what he had to celebrate with. His sisters, their families, his parents, Hughes, and now…he was seeing the one person who managed to stay alive after all of that, only to be taken again.

* * *

Aru opened the door, gesturing Roy inside. Once the Fuhrer was in, he shut the door quietly, telling him to join them when he felt like it.

Roy nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed, lifting a picture into his hands, staring at it for the longest time. In it sat a blonde boy, relatively young, holding up a fish with a wide, triumphant grin plastered on his face, his brother beneath him. A young Edward Elric. How he missed that cocky grin. "Ed, what happened to you? You went…and had to be stupid, no matter what you were told and ended up…"

He couldn't say he /loved/ Ed. But he didn't deny that there was some connection between them. He was married now, to one no one, but everyone expected. Hawkeye had allowed him the chance to go, as long as he promised not to give her any hassle on his work when his vacation ended. He had to agree.

His eye turned to the male sitting in the bed, the blonde hair sweeping down over his shoulders, catching the blank stare, yellow eyes staring ahead. There was no notice that he was even there. Ever since Ed had tried to fix Aru's body, whatever had been wrong with it, he had lost his mind. Now he was merely sitting there, unable to do anything…"Merry Christmas Ed." He said quietly, the boxes he brought resting in his lap.

Ed gave no motion or sign that he even heard him. He remained silent, watching the world ahead of him, but not seeing it, the Fuhrer only talking to a shell. However, that wouldn't stop him. He wished for him to react, and even if it took forever to do. He wasn't getting any younger, and Ed needed all the help he could. He wouldn't give it up so easily.

"I suppose you're just going to sit there then. Well, I went to visit Glacier and Elysia on my way here, and they told me to give this to you. It's a pair of Maes' old pajamas with the ducks, and a rubber duck from Elysia-chan." He gave a small chuckle, setting the bigger box aside. "I shrunk the pajamas with alchemy, they should fit you well, but that's our secret. I'll break my vow for you…maybe they'll strike some familiarity with you?" Of course, the wishful, hopeful tone in his voice soon faded. The holidays didn't bring many miracles, and he had used his up coming here.

He still didn't say anything, remaining in the same posture, propped up on his pillows. Well, that didn't get through to him. He sighed softly, opening the second, smaller box, lifting up a silver pocket watch with the lion on it. "Aru told me that you seemed down, when he couldn't find your watch, the one I gave you when you joined us. So…I brought you mine. I'm not a State Alchemist anymore, I don't need it." He set the cold metal in Ed's hand, wrapping his fingers around it, using his cold ones, fresh from outside to hold his hand in place. Briefly, and only slightly, he thought he felt Ed's grip tighten. Of course, that could have just been his imagination, but the thought of it made the weary Fuhrer grin.

"I'll leave it with you. It's in good hands. And, maybe one of these days, Aru will open it. There's something in there for you. Maybe you'll come back…if you see enough memories." He sighed, allowing himself to drops Ed's hand, which in turn, dropped to his lap, the watch falling from his grasp and lying next to it, the chain beneath his palm. Roy sighed. He was expecting too much, perhaps…

After a moment of just sitting there, Roy felt rather bold. His wife knew of his feelings. She knew what the visit would entail. Riza understood everything about him, one of the many reasons he was pleased to find such a wife. He reached a hand up to the silky golden locks that Aru cared for everyday, reveling in their feel. "I should have protected you. Been there to help. I was the adult; I should have known what you were doing."

Though he waited patiently for a response, and didn't receive one, he wasn't bothered by it. He would have to find someway. There was one out there. He knew it. Perhaps it was something he got from Ed himself in the years they had been together, the short jokes, the determination…Ed was alive, somewhere in there, and he would make sure he came back.

Leaning in, making sure his movements were slow, so as not to spook Ed, he stared into those golden yellow eyes, searching for any response. There wasn't any. Nothing. Not the same fire that Ed would get when someone would insult him, the flush when someone got a little bit too close for comfort.

Roy sighed, using his own last tactic to see if there was anything in Ed's pose that changed. He wasn't a child anymore. He had grown quite a bit. That happened when he was eighteen…three years, he was what, twenty-one? Maybe a bit older than that. His lips brushed against dry, rough ones, not at all the soft, moistened ones he had often thought about whenever he saw his face. He didn't respond…not a shiver, not a protest, he merely sat there. Roy would have welcomed anything, anything at all! A slap, a yell, a moan…anything…

Pulling away, the Fuhrer pushed up from his seat. He was going to be late for his train if he didn't go now. Of course, he'd probably be waiting a few hours, but he couldn't sit there anymore. He did what he came to do. There was nothing else. Offering Ed a small grin, Roy turned, removing himself from the room. He'd seen enough.

* * *

"You're off already, Mr. Fuhrer, sir?" Winry asked, handing the stuffed animal that Makial had received from Roy back, straightening. "You're already done?"

Roy nodded, slipping on his jacket. "Yes. I gave him what I came to give him. No more reason to overstay my welcome."

Pinako puffed on her pipe, staring at him with a hidden anger before pulling it away. "Stay for dinner. We don't mind having the Fuhrer here, you've done well."

Roy raised his brow, watching the elderly woman. He remembered her anger towards him. The Rockbells should have shoved him out, and refused to allow him to see Ed, after what he had done, but they were generous people, just as their missing members had been. After a moment, he gave a small grin, though forced. "I would love to, really. But, my wife and son are waiting at home for me."

"You're married?" The blonde mechanic asked.

Roy chuckled softly, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a picture. Of course, he was nothing like Maes, but he did like to keep a picture around, in case someone didn't believe his marriage. Riza stood there, holding a dark haired boy, glaring at Havoc, who was trying to inch away, Roy reading a paper, and very uninterested in what was going on.

"Aw, you and Miss Hawkeye? And what's his name?" She asked, taking the picture from his hand and showing the Fuhrer's son to Roze who giggled. They had to agree, he took after his father.

Roy's eye fell to the floor. "Maes…"

Winry blinked, turning to look at him. "As in…Maes Hughes?"

Roy gave a small grin. "Yes…the two of us thought it'd be nice if we named him Maes…"

Winry handed the picture back, not quite sure what to say. It wasn't a nice topic to go into. Obviously Roy was a bit sensitive on the subject.

Roy lifted his gaze. "Well, I thank you for allowing me this visit. I do hope you enjoyed what I brought. Aru…I'd like you and Ed, and anyone else who wishes to, to come visit me in Central. I'm sure Riza and Maes, and even Glacier and Elysia would appreciate it. I should be going though. I missed spending Christmas with my family, and if I miss my train, Riza won't hesitate to shoot me when I do get back. Thank you again…" With a short, quick bow, Roy pulled on his coat and hat, leaving the house rather quickly. Riza would kill him if he was gone much longer…

* * *

Aru placed a glass of water on the stand beside his brother, staring at the blank expression momentarily. It never did change, but he was quite confident that it would, no matter how long it took. He was quite sure he saw him smile, and that he was getting better. No one, not some doctor in Central, not friends, not even Armstrong would tell him that he had lost his brother.

"Hm? What have you got there, nii-san? Oh, is that what the Fuhrer left you?" Aru took the glinting light from Ed's lap, looking over the watch in his hand. The State Alchemist's watch…Ed's was missing, so whose was this? It must have been Roy's. Pressing the button, Aru opened it, a picture falling out. A newspaper clipping, actually, of the fight between Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist and Major Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist. 'Flame vs. Fullmetal'. He remembered that fight. Ed never wasted a moment to say who won.

Written along the bottom of the picture but ahead of the article was a handwritten line. 'I look forward to a rematch, Fullmetal.'

Aru gave a small sigh, smiling at it and sitting in the chair next to Ed. "I'll read you what it says, nii-san. 'The parade grounds of the Eastern Headquarters was filled with explosions and excited calls as two State Alchemists of the Amestrian Military went head to head in a battle for an assessment to renew the certification of Major Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist. His chosen opponent was Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist and a very well-known war hero from the Eastern Rebellion. The battle was even sided, even to the very end, when…'"

* * *

Nah…This didn't come out as I wanted. Ah, well. I'm not too disappointed.

Kinda short too...


End file.
